Let Go
by jigglyjones
Summary: PostHBP. Ron and Hermione help each other let go one sad night. A simple one shot for when you're in need of a RH fix :. Story is better than summary. This is my first fic, so RRing is very much appreciated.


**Let Go**

"Er, guys…I'm gonna…take a walk."

Ron and Hermione watched Harry's retreating figure get smaller and smaller, farther and farther away from the backyard of the home of James and Lily Potter.

Ron stared up at the stars above Godric's Hollow. He tried to focus on them, and block out the thoughts of how Harry must be feeling as he strode alone down the dark street. It wasn't working…these days the only thing that could distract him from the war was…

Hermione let out an audible sniff beside him. His eyes followed the tear slowly trickling down her cheek. He wanted nothing more than to help her let go, relax, somehow. He always got a very sick feeling inside when he saw her cry.

"Please don't…" he said softly. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Don't let it get to you. That's what he wants. V-Voldemort. Don't give him what he wants."

Hermione looked up at Ron's face through her tears.

"You're right," she said, suddenly changed. For some reason, Ron had finally gotten through to her. Putting on a hardened expression, she determinedly wiped away every tear. "You're right. We have to be strong. That's the only way we'll defeat him."

Ron nodded slowly, and smiled a tiny, encouraging smile. They looked into each other's eyes for a long time. All of a sudden, they both realized that they had been holding each other. Returning back to their old, awkward ways, they broke apart and uncomfortably avoided each other's gaze. They were silent for a moment.

Seemingly randomly, Hermione walked slowly but deliberately out into the middle of the leaf-strewn, unkempt lawn. She appeared to be deep in thought, and a serene little smile played on her lips. Turning around, she studied the pile of leaves behind her. She didn't notice the puzzled expression on Ron's face as she turned towards him again, because his face was shadowy in the moonlight.

"Autumn is my favorite season, you know," she broke the silence. She shook her head. "No, not because school begins in autumn, and don't pretend you weren't thinking it.

"No, I wasn't." Ron denied under his breath, too quiet for Hermione to hear over the cool night breeze. He was lying of course. She knew him too well.

"I love it because it relaxes me. The leaves are so beautiful, falling down like rain, and the air is so crisp and fresh…it's so…it allows me to just let go, and appreciate the little things, you know?" Hermione wondered if Ron would understand.

"Well, I think we're all in need of a little letting go," Ron agreed. On the inside he was overjoyed that he had finally found a way to make Hermione happy again. He had caused her enough pain last year, enough, in his mind, for a lifetime. He couldn't bear to see her upset the way she was tonight, and the way she had been. "And I have an idea."

"And what might that idea be?" Hermione inquired curiously, tilting her head to the side slightly. Ron loved it when she did that, so much that he waited a few seconds to stare at her before speaking.

"Tonight, if only for ten minutes, let's just…_let go._ For once in our lives, let's have a little fun while we still have the chance. We need it now, more than ever." Ron ran a hand through his crimson hair. "But I need you're help. Tell me, what does one do to 'let go' in autumn?"

Hermione tapped her chin, lost in thought.

"Well, for starters, this is always fun." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Ron studied her closely, unsure of where she was going with this. Slowly, she rose her arms up a little from her sides. She took a deep breath and let herself fall backwards.

Ron watched as she fell, her hair rippling in the wind. With a small _poof! _she hit the pile behind her, sending leaves flying off to the side. She lay there for a moment and didn't move.

Ron smiled despite himself. This was a side of Hermione he had never seen before.

He walked over to her and looked down at her within the leaves. To his surprise, she was laughing.

"That was such a rush!" she giggled. "I feel like a little girl again." She stood up and rearranged the pile of leaves so it was tall again. She smiled up at Ron.

"You have to try it! It's so simple, but so fun." Ron looked a little skeptical. Then he smiled.

"Well, I _have_ always wanted to feel like a little girl again."

Hermione burst out giggling again. Ron smirked, and familiar twinkle gleamed in his eye. She had missed it these past few months. It was hard to have fun when you were on a search for horcruxes.

"Oh, ha ha ha. You're hilarious," she said sarcastically, trying to put on a straight face. Ron could say anything and she'd think it was funny. "But seriously, it's the best feeling, falling back and you feel like there's nothing to catch you. It's like being weightless. Just give it a try. For me?"

"Oh all right," Ron let in, he couldn't say no to her pleading face. Even if he didn't feel very safe trusting his physical well-being to a pile of dead leaves, it was worth it to see the joy on her face when he agreed.

Hermione positioned him perfectly in front of the leaf pile, instructing him on the correct technique.

"Remember, you have to keep your whole body straight or it's not the same!" she reminded him.

Ron closed his eyes as Hermione had ordered, and used his feet to begin to tip himself backwards.. He fell back and experienced the feeling he got when he took a fast downward dive on a broomstick. He felt the weightlessness Hermione described. For that half a second, the world was empty except for him falling, and it had slowed down just for him. No Voldemort, no horcruxes, no war, nothing except that wonderful, almost magical, feeling. But before he knew it he was caught in a bed of crinkly brown leaves. He absorbed the memory of that blissful feeling, then spoke.

"Wow. You were so right Hermione, there is something amazing about that weightless feeling."

"Oh, now it's _amazing_, is it? Proved you wrong!" Hermione smirked, teasing him, a favorite past time of hers that she hadn't done in a while.

"Oh, that's nice. I think I'm gonna cry." Then he got a strange look on his face, laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her down into the leaves. She let out a little scream then started giggling again.

Ron watched her laugh and laugh. She was so beautiful when she laughed. He looked into her eyes, then he began staring at her mouth. A completely insane idea crossed his mind.

Before he realized what he was doing, he had pressed his lips to hers.

For the second time that night, the world seemed to slow just for him. He was kissing Hermione Granger, the girl he'd had a crush on for longer than he could remember. And she was kissing him back. He was convinced that this was it. His life had peaked at seventeen with the most incredible kiss ever. What he did with Lavender was nothing compared to this. He wondered why he waited so long to do it.

Soon enough, the world had sped up again, and they pulled apart. They only had a moment to look at each other when the back door creaked open. Smiling at each other in thanks, and exchanging a look that communicated, _There are more important matters at the moment, _they sprang up and watched as Harry emerged into the moonlight.

"Hey, Harry. You okay?" Ron asked.

Harry looked up from the ground, and at Ron and Hermione.

"Yeah." He smiled a small, bittersweet but hopeful, smile. "I will be."


End file.
